The West Regional Series returned to Kevin Harvick’s for Race 2 of Season 2, and the night delivered a major shake-up in the championship picture. With this points format (12 to win, one less per position behind, plus 1 point for qualifying fast time), every detail matters—especially now that the series is two races deep with five races remaining.

At the front, Dylan VanWyk3 delivered a statement performance in what was his first start of the season, turning the Kern return into a full points haul. Dylan scored the qualifying fast time bonus (the extra 1 point) and converted it into a feature win worth 12 more, totaling 13 points on the night. It was also Dylan’s second career win, his first since Sep 26, 2023, and fittingly, that last victory also came at Kern (in a Big Block). Even more context: this win came in just his 16th career start, adding another big moment to a growing résumé.

Once the feature went green, the story up front was simple and decisive—Dylan started from P1, led 30 laps, and owned the pace. He also set the fastest lap of the race with a 15.009, giving him the cleanest possible combination for points: bonus point + win + total control out front. Behind him, Brayden E Carter kept his season rolling with another runner-up finish, and Parker Leek put together a strong drive from 4th to 3rd to grab a podium and 10 points.

Aidan Strawberry, the Race 1 winner, stayed firmly in the title conversation with a 4th-place run at Kern, collecting 9 points and keeping the standings tight at the top. One of the biggest headlines deeper in the order was Bailon Powell, who made his first career ICL start and immediately delivered a top-five result—5th place and 8 points in a debut that instantly puts him on the radar for the rest of the season.

From a “move of the night” standpoint, the hard-charger honors go to Spencer Harp, who gained five positions from 16th to 11th. Mark Kingcade also made a notable climb, advancing four spots from 13th to 9th, and Seth Gregory quietly built points with a smart run from 9th to 6th. On the other end of the swing, Brenden McGlothlin had the toughest drop in track position, sliding five spots from 7th to 12th, with Ryder Kohl close behind in that category after moving from 12th to 16th.

The biggest storyline after two races, though, is the championship math. Brayden E Carter now leads the standings with 22 points—and he’s done it without a win yet, simply by stacking two huge finishes (11 points in each race). Aidan Strawberry sits right there in second with 21, pairing a win (12) with a fourth (9). That’s a one-point gap with five races left, which means the standings can flip in a single position any week. Behind them, Seth Gregory made the biggest upward move into third and sits at 15, while Dylan’s 13-point Kern win launches him to fourth despite only one start—already 9 points off the lead with plenty of season left to chip away.

RESULTS — Race 2 at Kern County Raceway

  1. Dylan VannyK3, 2) Brayden E Carter, 3) Parker Leek, 4) Aidan Strawberry, 5) Bailon Powell, 6) Seth Gregory, 7) Blaze Harrison, 8) Bryan Gravyl, 9) Mark Kingcade, 10) Connor D Thompson, 11) Spencer Harp, 12) Brenden McGlothlin, 13) Jason Setser, 14) Dennis Holley, 15) Braxton McCullough, 16) Ryder Kohl

STANDINGS — Top 10 After Race 2

  1. Brayden E Carter — 22, 2) Aidan Strawberry — 21, 3) Seth Gregory — 15, 4) Dylan VannyK3 — 13, 5) Kason Capps — 11, 6) Parker Leek — 10, 7) Trevor Egbert — 9, 8) Bailon Powell — 8, 9) McGarren Butler — 7, 10) Blaze Harrison — 6, 10) Jake Trainor — 6

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